5050 SLAMONLINE.COMSLAMONLINE.COMR
ICO HINES
compares player
development to
boxing. When a
fighter is
preparing for a
bout, he believes the training regimen
should include sparring in order to get
a feel for opponents and sharpen the
skills needed. Same rules apply in
basketball. No amount of cones or
chairs does a player who’s looking to
elevate their game any justice without
live competition.
“I’m a big believer in playing,” he says.
“I didn’t believe in guys working 1-on-0
because I already seen this blueprint
work even before I got to UCLA.”
Hines, 41, is at the helm of the top
offseason pick-up runs for NBA players.
Located on the second floor of the
Student Activities Building at UCLA, the
games there date back decades. First
organized by Magic Johnson, this was thespot for seasoned vets or incoming
college guys looking to play against the
best competition in the city.
“When I signed to come play here in
’96, this placed was filled with Hakeem
Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Penny
Hardaway and Kobe Bryant,” Hines says.
“It was such a tradition—and you had to
come be a part of it.”
Hines brought back that tradition of
having the League’s best come through
Westwood during the offseason in 2016.
Three courts—winners, losers and
losers-losers—with games played up to
seven. Once the game-winning basket is
scored, the only way the game ends is
when the player makes a free throw.
Hines, with a whistle around his neck,
oversees everything, calling fouls and
counting down from 10 to make the game
fast paced.
One day, it might be Kevin Durant and
Devin Booker on the same team putting
on a scoring clinic. And another it’sJames Harden and Russell Westbrook
going at each other as if it were the
postseason. LeBron James was in
attendance multiple times last year, too.
“Every time [Kevin’s] here, he’s trying
to get better that day,” Hines says. “I
really respect him for that.”
Hines’ runs have drawn attention
online—just search social media and
you’ll find an endless amount of content
that’s been packaged for feeds on a
daily basis.
“Real basketball people knew,” Hines,
who joined Instagram in 2017, says about
the runs. “I just wasn’t doing the social
media.”
Hines played for the Bruins from
1997-2002. He began working out players
on campus while rehabbing a torn
meniscus during his junior year. Over the
course of 14 years, Hines has worked as a
player development assistant with the
Golden State Warriors (2006-10) and was
on the coaching staff at St. John’s50 SLAMONLINE.COMIf you’re an NBA player (or hoping to become one) who’s looking
for the best pick-up run and/or training session in the L.A. area,
the place to be is UCLA, and the person to speak with is
Rico Hines.WESTSIDESTORYWESTSIDESTORYWORDS
DREW RUIZWESTTSIDESSTTOORRYYWESTSIDESTORY